〃Tell the te de la Fere to e to me；〃 said Madame de Chevreuse； 〃I want to speak to him。〃
〃And I；〃 said the coadjutor； 〃want it to be thought that I do not speak to him。 I admire； I love him for I know his former adventures but I shall not speak to him until the day after to…morrow。〃
〃And why day after to…morrow？〃 asked Madame de Chevreuse。
〃You will know that to…morrow evening；〃 said the coadjutor； smiling。
〃Really； my dear Gondy；〃 said the duchess； 〃you remind one of the Apocalypse。 Monsieur d'Herblay；〃 she added； turning toward Aramis； 〃will you be my servant once more this evening？〃
〃How can you doubt it？〃 replied Aramis； 〃this evening； to…morrow； always； mand me。〃
〃I will； then。 Go and look for the te de la Fere； I wish to speak with him。〃
Aramis found Athos and brought him。
〃Monsieur le te；〃 said the duchess； giving him a letter； 〃here is what I promised you； our young friend will be extremely well received。〃
〃Madame； he is very happy in owing any obligation to you。〃
〃You have no reason to envy him on that score； for I owe to you the pleasure of knowing him；〃 replied the witty woman； with a smile which recalled Marie Michon to Aramis and to Athos。
As she uttered that bon mot； she arose and asked for her carriage。 Mademoiselle Paulet had already gone； Mademoiselle de Scudery was going。
〃Vite；〃 said Athos to Raoul； 〃follow the duchess； beg her to do you the favor to take your arm in going downstairs； and thank her as you descend。〃
The fair Indian approached Scarron。
〃You are going already？〃 he said。
〃One of the last； as you see； if you hear anything of Monsieur Voiture； be so kind as to send me word to…morrow。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Scarron； 〃he may die now。〃
〃Why？〃 asked the young girl with the velvet eyes。
〃Certainly； his panegyric has been uttered。〃
They parted； laughing； she turning back to gaze at the poor paralytic man with interest； he looking after her with eyes of love。
One by one the several groups broke up。 Scarron seemed not to observe that certain of his guests had talked mysteriously； that letters had passed from hand to hand and that the assembly had seemed to have a secret purpose quite apart from the literary discussion carried on with so much ostentation。 What was all that to Scarron？ At his house rebellion could be planned with impunity； for； as we have said； since that morning he had ceased to be 〃the queen's invalid。〃
As to Raoul； he had attended the duchess to her carriage； where； as she took her seat； she gave him her hand to kiss； then； by one of those wild caprices which made her so adorable and at the same time so dangerous； she had suddenly put her arm around his neck and kissed his forehead； saying：
〃Vite； may my good wishes and this kiss bring you good fortune！〃
Then she had pushed him away and directed the coachman to stop at the Hotel de Luynes。 The carriage had started； Madame de Chevreuse had made a parting gesture to the young man； and Raoul had returned in a state of stupefaction。
Athos surmised what had taken place and smiled。 〃e； vite；〃 he said； 〃it is time for you to go to bed； you will start in the morning for the army of monsieur le prince。 Sleep well your last night as citizen。〃
〃I am to be a soldier then？〃 said the young man。 〃Oh； monsieur； I thank you with all my heart。〃
〃Adieu； count；〃 said the Abbe d'Herblay； 〃I return to my convent。〃
〃Adieu； abbe；〃 said the coadjutor； 〃I am to preach to…morrow and have twenty texts to examine this evening。〃
〃Adieu； gentlemen；〃 said the count； 〃I am going to sleep twenty…four hours； I am just falling down with fatigue。〃
The three men saluted one another； whilst exchanging a last look。
Scarron followed their movements with a glance from the corner of his eye。
〃Not one of them will do as he says；〃 he murmured； with his little monkey smile； 〃but they may do as they please； the brave gentlemen！ Who knows if they will not manage to restore to me my pension？ They can move their arms； they can； and that is much。 Alas； I have only my tongue； but I will try to show that it is good for something。 Ho； there； Champenois！ here； it is eleven o'clock。 e and roll me to bed。 Really； that Demoiselle d'Aubigne is very charming！〃
So the invalid disappeared soon afterward and went into his sleeping…room； and one by one the lights in the salon of the Rue des Tournelles were extinguished。
Saint Denis
The day had begun to break when Athos arose and dressed himself。 It was plain； by a paleness still greater than usual； and by those traces which loss of sleep leaves on the face； that he must have passed almost the whole of the night without sleeping。 Contrary to the custom of a man so firm and decided； there was this morning in his personal appearance something tardy and irresolute。
He was occupied with the preparations for Raoul's departure and was seeking to gain time。 In the first place he himself furbished a sword； which he drew from its perfumed leather sheath； he examined it to see if its hilt was well guarded and if the blade was firmly attached to the hilt。 Then he placed at the bottom of the valise belonging to the young man a small bag of louis； called Olivain； the lackey who had followed him from Blois； and made him pack the valise under his own eyes； watchful to see that everything should be put in which might be useful to a young man entering on his first campaign。
At length； after occupying about an hour in these preparations； he opened the door of the room in which the vite slept； and entered。
The sun； already high； penetrated into the room through the window； the curtains of which Raoul had neglected to close on the previous evening。 He was still sleeping； his head gracefully reposing on his arm。
Athos approached and hung over the youth in an attitude full of tender melancholy； he looked long on this young man； whose smiling mouth and half closed eyes bespoke soft dreams and lightest slumber； as if his guardian angel watched over him with solicitude and affection。 By degrees Athos gave himself up to the charms of his reverie in the proximity of youth； so pure； so fresh。 His own youth seemed to reappear； bringing with it all those savoury remembrances； which are like perfumes more than thoughts。 Between the past and the present was an ineffable abyss。 But imagination has the wings of an angel of light and travels safely through or over the seas where we have been almost shipwrecked； the darkness in which our illusions are lost； the precipice whence our happiness has been hurled and swallowed up。 He remembered that all the first part of his life had been embittered by a woman and he thought with alarm of the influence love might assume over so fine； and at the same time so vigorous an organization as that of Raoul。
In recalling all he had been through； he foresaw all that Raoul might suffer； and the expression of the deep and tender passion which throbbed in his heart was pictured in the moist eye with which he gazed on the young man。
At this moment Raoul awoke； without a cloud on his face without weariness or lassitude； his eyes were fixed on those of Athos and perhaps he prehended all that passed in the heart of the man who was awaiting his awakening as a lover awaits the awakening of his mistress； for his glance； in return； had all the tenderness of love。
〃You are there； sir？〃 he said； respectfully。
〃Yes； Raoul；〃 replied the count。
〃And you did not awaken me？〃
〃I wished to leave you still to enjoy some moments of sleep； my child； you must be fatigued from yesterday。〃
〃Oh； sir； how good you are！〃
Athos smiled。
〃How do you feel this morning？〃 he inquired。
〃Perfectly well； quite rested； sir。〃
〃You are still growing；〃 Athos continued； with that charming and paternal interest felt by a grown man for a youth。
〃Oh； sir； I beg your pardon！〃 exclaimed Raoul； ashamed of so much attention； 〃in an instant I shall be dressed。〃
Athos then called Olivain。
〃Everything；〃 said Olivain to Athos； 〃has been done according to your directions； the horses are waiting。〃
〃And I was asleep；〃 cried Raoul； 〃whilst you； sir； you had the kindness to attend to all these details。 Truly； sir； you overwhelm me with benefits！〃
〃Therefore you love me a little； I hope；〃 replied Athos； in a tone of emotion。
〃Oh； sir！ God knows how much I love； revere you。〃
〃See that you forget nothing；〃 said Athos； appearing to look about him； that he might hide his emotion。
〃No； indeed； sir；〃 answered Raoul。
The servant then approached Athos and said； hesitatingly：
〃Monsieur le vite has no sword。〃
〃'Tis well；〃 said Athos； 〃I will take care of that。〃
They went downstairs； Raoul looking every now and then at the count to see if the moment of farewell was at hand； but Athos was silent。 When they reached the steps Raoul saw three horses。
〃Oh； sir！ then you are going with me？〃
〃I will acpany you a portion of the way；〃 said Athos。
Joy shone in Raoul's eyes and he leaped lightly to his saddle。
Athos mounted more slowly； after speaking in a low voice to the lackey； who； instead of following them immediately； returned to their rooms。 Raoul； delighted at the count's panionship； perceived； or affected to perceive nothing of this byplay。
They set out； passing over the Pont Neuf； they pursued their way along the quay then called L'Abreuvoir Pepin； and went along by the walls of the Grand Chatelet。 They proceeded to the Rue Saint Denis。
After passing through the Porte Saint Denis； Athos looked at Raoul's way of riding and observed：
〃Take care； Raoul！ I have already often told you of this； you must not forget it； for it is a great defect in a rider。 See！ your horse is tired already； he froths at the mouth； whilst mine looks as if he had only just left the stable。 You hold the bit too tight and so make his mouth hard； so that you will not be able to make him manoeuvre quickly。 The safety of a cavalier often depends on the prompt obedience of his horse。 In a week； remember； you will no longer be performing your manoeuvres for practice； but on a field of battle。〃
Then suddenly； in order not to give too unfortable an importance to this observation：
〃See； Raoul！〃 he resumed； 〃what a fine plain for partridge shooting。〃
The young man stored in his mind the admonition whilst he admired the delicate tenderness with which it was bestowed。
〃I have remarked also another thing；〃 said Athos； 〃which is； that in firing off your pistol you hold your arm too far outstretched。 This tension lessens the accuracy of the aim。 So in twelve times you thrice missed the mark。〃
〃Which you； sir； struck twelve times；〃 answered Raoul； smiling。
〃Because I bent my arm and rested my hand on my elbow so； do you understand what I mean？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I have fired since in that manner and have been quite successful。〃
〃What a cold wind！〃 resumed Athos； 〃a wintry blast。 Apropos； if you fire and you will do so； for you are remended to a young general who is very fond of powder remember that in single bat； which often takes place in the cavalry； never to fire the first shot。 He who fires the first shot rarely hits h